Boost your work wellbeing

Do something you’re good at

It’s a no-brainer, but Rachel Morrison’s research has found being satisfied when we’re doing a good job makes us feel good and enjoy our work life more. Women, in particular, report enjoyment in feeling they’re achieving at a high level within their skill set.

Have a work friend

Bonding with someone in the workplace can make a huge difference to our day-to-day lives.

“The more positive relationships, the better,” Morrison says.

Avoid making work enemies

Likewise, one negative relationship at work can undo all the positives. If there’s a work enemy in your life, it can be really worth working on resolving the relationship.

Don’t work in an open-plan office

Tricky, when this is how most modern offices are set up. But Morrison’s research has found open-plan offices, especially hot-desking ones, are bad for wellbeing.

“The more intensely shared our workspaces … the more negative relationships we have, the less we collaborate, and the fewer friends we make,” she says.

The trick is having flexibility, agency and choice over how we work – different spaces where people can be social when they want to, or work quietly when they need to, without resorting to noisecancelling headphones.